The sampling of truckloads of hot asphalt and aggregate for assay and quality control purposes is practiced at all asphalt production and processing plants. This process generally involves the removal of a representative sample of hot asphalt from each truckload as it leaves the production/processing facility. In the past such sampling involved an individual actually stepping onto or leaning over the hot asphalt load to obtain the sample by driving a suitable sampling device into the load and removing the sample therefrom. Such activity exposed the sampler to significant risk since the hot asphalt can be at temperatures exceeding 300° F. and is emitting fumes that could be noxious to the sampler.
While various apparatus have been designed and built to solve this problem, the devices of the prior art generally required that a vehicle containing hot asphalt be driven under a frame to which a sampling device was mounted thus restricting the area within which a sample could be taken and placing the apparatus operator in relative proximity to the hot asphalt. One example of such a device is marketed by Pavement Technology Incorporated of Grove Ill.
There thus remains a need for a device that is capable of sampling hot asphalt contained in an open haul vehicle wherever located. Such a device should allow for relative remote operation from a position where the operator is somewhat removed from the hot asphalt being sampled and ideally allows for positioning of haul vehicles in a variety of positions even on opposite sides of a centrally located sampling device.